


I Never Asked

by LittleSweetCheeks



Series: If I'd Known... I never... [9]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Talking to herself, mentions of drinking, pondering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 22:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15253059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSweetCheeks/pseuds/LittleSweetCheeks
Summary: She'd made assumptions without ever asking first.





	I Never Asked

“If I’d known then what I know now.” She said to no one, she’s alone in her office, seeking absolution in a bottle in the near darkness. “I never would have pushed him like that.” But by the time Erin had taken her position at the helm of the BAU, Aaron has already made a name for himself. And her predecessor had _liked_ him. The retiring agent had told her that Aaron’s even temper was much preferred over David and Jason’s explosive clashes of personality.

Erin refused to see it.

The signs had been there, however, the subtle submissive response to superiors, the curt ‘ma’am’s and ‘sir’s. And there was no denying he was a protector of others. A knight. Erin smirked into her glass- that analyst had argued in the halls one day as to which superhero Aaron best matched, she wondered what the verdict was.

But tonight, tonight wasn’t about that. Not really. Erin poured more of the liquid into her glass and crossed to the windows, staring down at the ground below. When she leaned forward, it almost felt as if she could really tip and fall right out of the building. “They’d probably have a party.” She grunted.

Aaron’s team had been in the gym sparring, it was rare that they all went together, but David had said something about teambuilding. Erin suspected it was an excuse to shirk their paperwork. She’d found them all sitting around one mat, even Garcia was cheering at the sideline. Aaron and JJ were going at it when she’d entered just in time to see the petite blonde kick, catching her boss in the jaw and sending him to the floor, the others howling in approval.

A bunch of children, the lot of them.

Erin had planned to send them packing but JJ had helped Aaron to a sitting position on the mats, worrying over him at the blood and, to Erin’s utter surprise, pulling his shirt, now being stained by the blood, off, exposing his entire upper body.

The distinct lack of surprise by the others had made Erin wonder if they’d seen the scars before.

“What have you been through?” She spoke to the window.

There were the scars from his attack almost a year before, the skin still new and puckered, pink and white against tan, but there were also more, all over him. Wide lines, much less noticeable, older, on his back. Untanned circles, some large, others much smaller, and then between them, the places that looked like healed gunshot wounds.

Erin sighed, maybe she should have gotten to know him first, before assuming he was arrogant.


End file.
